Small House of Everything

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

OVERLOOKED FILM: THE OUTER GATE

1937's The Outer Gate features Ben Alexander (Dragnet, Felony Squad) as Bob Terry, a young man railroaded to jail for the theft of bonds from his employer John Bordon, played by Ralph Morgan (Mother Carey's Chickens, The Creeper). Years later the true thief is revealed and Bob is released from prison, wanting revenge on Bordon (who also happens to be the father of Lois, the woman he loves, played by Kay Linaker (Drums Along the Mohawk, Kitty Foyle). Bonds are stolen again and Bob is involved. Bob's former cellmate, Todd (Eddie Acuff, The Petrified Forest, Blondie's Big Deal -- and BTW, today is Acuff's 101st birthday) manages to steal the bonds back and helps Bob redeem himself.

Based on an Octavus Roy Cohen novel and scripted by A. (Anne) Laurie Brazee, this by-the-numbers movie was directed by Raymond Cannon for Monogram Pictures. Cohen, of course, was a very popular novelist and magazine writer in the first half of the last century, racking up 57 books and uncounted short stories. The Outer Gate was Brazee's second (and last) screenplay, the first being fora Columbia Pictures romcom done the year before. Cannon directed a dozen other pictures, including 1931's Swanee River featuring Thelma Todd. He also acted in 14 silents and had twenty writing credits from 1924 to 1945.